Double-end detector for can end curler

ABSTRACT

A device for attachment to a curler for can ends for detecting the delivery of two telescoped can ends from a press to the curler. A limit switch controlling the circuit to the motor means driving the curler and the press is operatively associated with a cam located in the path of the cAn ends as they are delivered to the curler from the press. The limit switch and cam are so adjusted that when two telescoped can ends contact the cam the switch will be opened stopping operation of the press and the curler.

United States Patent 1,622,540 3/1927 Peters Inventor Paul F. SchmeltzerMorrisville, Pa.

Appl. No. 848,180

Filed Aug. 7 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 Assignee Janetta CorporationGlenside, Pa.

DOUBLE-END DETECTOR ron CAN END CURLER 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figs.

1.1.8. Cl. 113/1 F, 113/ll3C,72/l2,72/26 Int. CL B2ld43/00 FieldoiSearch113/113C, 11A, 14R. 1 E, 1F, 121AA;72/12, 16,26, 31

Reference Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,696,659 12/1928 Ward 113/113 C2,288,920 7/1942 113/113 C 2,270,282 l/1942 113/113 C 2,148,247 2/1939Swangren 113/1 F Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham AssistantExaminer-Michael J Keenan Attorney-Frease & Bishop ABSTRACT: A devicefor attachment to a curler for can ends for detecting the delivery oftwo telescoped can ends from a press to the curler. A limit switchcontrolling the circuit to the motor means driving the curler and thepress is operatively associated with a cam located in the path of thecAn ends as they are delivered to the curler from the press. The limitswitch and cam are so adjusted that when two telescoped can ends contactthe cam the switch will be opened stopping operation of the press andthe curler.

ATENTEDSEPIMQYI 3.604.380

SHEET 2 OF 3 4+ INVI'JN'I'UR.

Pail/bESchnwbk er F 4 BY ATTORNEYS DOUBLE-END DETECTOR FOR CAN ENDCURLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Theinvention relates to a detector for a curler for can ends for detectingwhen two can ends are accidentally delivered to the curler in telescopedcondition. More particularly, the invention includes a limit switchcontrolling the circuit to the motor means for the curler and the pressdelivering can ends thereto, the switch being actuated to open thecircuit by means of a cam contacted by the can ends as they aredelivered to the curler.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the manufacture of can ends, it iscommon practice to stamp the same on a press in the form of sheet metaldiscs, each having a peripheral flange thereon. These flanged discs aredelivered from the press,, by suitable conveyor means, to a curler whichrolls or curls the peripheral flanges upon the can ends.

It occasionally happens that by accident two of the flanged can ends aredelivered to the curler in telescoped condition. If this double end goesthrough the rest of the processing, it will wind up jamming the seamerin the cannery. To the best of applicants knowledge, no one has provideda satisfactory means for detecting delivery of a double end to thecurler prior to this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general terms, the invention may bedescribed as comprising a cam-actuated limit switch for controlling thecircuit to motor means for a can end press and curler. The press formscan ends in the shape of sheet metal discs having peripheral flanges anddischarges them upon a conveyor which delivers the can ends to a curlerwhich curls or curves the peripheral flanges.

The curler comprises a stationary table having a grooved outer curlingring and a concentric rotating hub having a complementary grooved innercurling ring. The flanged can ends are carried in a circular pathbetween the grooved curling rings which curl or roll the annular flangesof the can ends.

It occasionally happens that two flanged can ends are delivered from thepress in telescoped condition. If such a double end is permitted to passthrough the curler and go through the rest of the process ofmanufacture, it will eventually jam the seamer in the cannery.

All of the above-described mechanism is in general use in themanufacture of can ends. The invention comprises means for detecting adouble end and stopping both the press and the curler so that the doubleend may be removed therefrom. This detector includes a limit switchcontrolling the electric circuit to the motor means for the press andcurler and a pivoted cam operatively associated with the switch andadapted to be actuated by double can ends passing through the curler.

This cam is set so that if a double can end enters the curler theadditional thickness of the two layers of sheet metal will lift the camsufficiently to break the electrical contact of the limit switch thusshutting down the press and the curler so that the press operator isenabled to go to the curler and remove the double end which has stoppedthe press.

An object of the invention is to provide detector means in combinationwith a press and a curler for forming flanged can ends and curling theflanges thereof, to detect the delivery of two can ends in telescopedcondition to the curler and to automatically open the electric circuitto the motor means for the press and curler.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a doublecnd detectorincluding a limit switch controlling the electric circuit to the motormeans for the press and curler and a pivoted cam actuated by double canends contacting the same for opening the circuit when a double end isdelivered to the curler.

A further object of the invention is to provide a double-end detector ofthe character referred to in which the limit switch has a spring-loadedplunger normally urging the switch to closed position, one end of thepivoted cam being contacted by double can ends passing through thecurler, the other end of the pivoted cam moving the plunger against thepressure of the conventional spring in the limit switch.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a double-enddetector having means for adjusting the limit switch relative to the camfor different can sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a double-end detector ofthis type having a fine and a coarse adjustment on the limit switch.

The above and other objects, apparent from the drawings and followingdescription, may be attained, the abovedescribed difiiculties overcomeand the advantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction,arrangements and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprisethe present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative ofthe best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying theprinciple, being set forth in detail in the following description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a can endcurler having the double end detector to which the invention pertainsassociated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on theline 3-.-3, FIG. 1, showing a single can end in the curler and passingunder the double-end detector without operating it;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion of the curler shown inFIG. 3, the can end being indicated in broken lines;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5, FIG. 4, with partsbroken away;

FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 5 showing a double end in the curlerand operating the detector to stop the curler and the press; and

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuit controlled by thedetector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT At 1 is illustrated generallythe right-hand curler of a 020 double curler as made and sold by E. W.Bliss Company. Such a curler includes a main table 2 having thestationary outer curling ring 3 attached thereto as by cap screws 4.

The inner rotary curling ring 5 is attached to the curling ring hub 6 byscrews 7. The hub 6 is fixed upon the curling ring hub shaft 8 which isjournaled in bearings 9 in the bearing hub 10 centrally mounted throughthe main table 2.

A miter gear 11 is fixed upon the lower end of the curling ring hubshaft 8 and meshes with a miter gear 12 fixed upon the main drive shaft13, one end of which is operatively connected to an electric motor 14 asindicated in FIG. 7.

A support ring 15 is vertically adjustably mounted concentricallybetween the inner and outer curling rings, being connected to the maintable 2 as by spring-loaded screws 16. The support ring 15 is a brokenring, as best shown in FIG. 1, one end thereof being adapted to receivecan ends 17 as they are delivered by a conveyor 18 from the press (notshown). The can ends 17 are discharged from the other end of the supportring 15 to a chute 19 which may lead to a stacker.

The can ends 17 are formed in the press with peripheral flanges whichare curled in the opposed circular grooves 20 and 21, in the outer andinner curling rings 3 and 5, respectively, as shown at 22 in FIG. 3.

For economic reasons. two sets of grooves 20 and 21 may be formed in thecurling rings so that when one set of grooves becomes worn, the curlermay be adjusted so that the other set of grooves may be used for curlingthe flanges on the can ends.

It occasionally happens that two of the flanged can ends areaccidentally delivered to the curler in telescoped condition. IF such adouble end is not removed, it will cause trouble later by jamming theseamer in the cannery.

All of the apparatus so far described herein are now in general use forcurling the peripheral rims on can ends, and in itself forms no part ofthe present invention. which relates only to means for detecting adouble end in the curler and automatically stopping operation of thecurler, as well as the press which forms the can ends for delivery tothe curler.

The double-end detector to which the invention pertains comprises anelongated rectangular base 23 having a central, longitudinal tongue 24on its underside at one end thereof.

This tongue is slideably received in the groove 25 in the upper end ofthe mounting block 26. This mounting block is connected to theperipheral flange 27 on the main table 2 by cap screws 28.

The base 23 has longitudinal slots 29 therein, through which are locatedcap screws 30 for longitudinally adjustably mounting the vase 23 uponthe mounting block 26.

A vertical mounting plate 31 is connected at its lower edge to one sideof the base 23 by screws 32 and extends upward from the base, as shownin FIGS. and 6. A limit switch housing indicated generally at 33 isvertically adjustably mounted upon the mounting plate 31 by means ofscrews 34 located through apertures 35, of greater diameter than thescrews, in the mounting plate 31.

The limit switch housing 33 may thus be vertically adjustably mountedupon the mounting plate 31 by means of the nuts 34'. In order to providea vernier adjustment for the limit switch housing 33 upon the mountingplate 31, the vernier screw 36 is threaded into a tapped socket 37 inthe top of the mounting plate 31, one edge of the head 38 of the vernierscrew being received in a notch 39 in the housing 33 of the limitswitch.

The limit switch, located within the housing 33, is of conventionalconstruction and is provided on its underside with a plunger or button40 which is normally spring-biased downward or outward to urge the limitswitch to open position.

The limit switch is normally held in closed position by a cam lever.indicated generally at 41, fulcrumed intermediate its ends at 42 betweenthe transversely disposed bifurcations 43 depending from the inner endof the base 23.

A spring 44, interposed between the undersurface of the base 23 and asocket 45 in the cam lever 41, normally holds the upper end 46 of thelever 41 in the position shown in FIG. 5 pushing the plunger 40 of thelimit switch inward to hold the limit switch in closed position.

The other or lower end of the lever 41 has a cam surface 47 located inthe path of the can ends 17, as they are moved around the support ringI5 of the curler toward the discharge chute 19.

As shown in FIGS. the lever 41 is normally held in such position thatthe curled flange 22 of a singlecan end 17 will pass beneath the cam end47 of the lever without contacting the same.

However, should a double-can end pass under the lever 41, as shown inFIG. 6, the curled flange 22 of the inner or uppermost of the twotelescoped can ends will strike the cam surface 47 of the lever 4!raising the same against the pressure of the spring 44 and permittingthe spring 48 (FIG. 7) in the limit switch housing 33 to force theplunger 40 downward as the upper end 46 of the lever is lowered, openingthe switch as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7.

The circuit indicated in FIG. 7 comprises the conductor wires 49 and 50leading from a power source, the motor 14, which drives the curler, andthe limit switch in the housing 33 being located in said circuit.

As indicated at S f, wires from said circuit may lead to the motor 52which operates the press 53 in which the can ends are fonned so thatoperation of the press 53 and curler 1 will be simultaneously stoppedwhen such a double end passes under the limit switch.

The press operator may then go to the curler and remove the double endfrom the curler whereupon the lever 41 will automatically assume theposition of FIG. 5 closing the limit switch and again starting operationof the press and curlerv From the above, it will be evident that adetector is provided for a can end curler which will automatically stopoperation of the curler and the press whenever a double end isaccidentally delivered to the curler, thus enabling the press operatorto go to the curler and remove the double end therefrom permittingnormal operation of the press and curler to be automatically resumed.

It will also be seen that the detector my be easily and readily adjustedboth horizontally and vertically to compensate for variations in thedimensions of can ends being processed through the curler.

What I claim is:

I. In combination with a curler for curling the flanges of peripherallyflanged can ends, said curler including a main table, an outerstationary curling ring fixed upon said main table, an outer stationarycurling ring fixed upon said main table, an inner rotatable curling ringconcentric with the outer curling ring, a support ring concentric withand located between the inner and outer curling rings for supporting canends as they are carried around the curler between said curling rings,an electric motor for rotating said inner curling ring and an electriccircuit in which said motor is located, a double-end detector, meanssupporting the detector above the support ring, said means comprising anelongated base connected at its outer end to a mounting block fixed uponthe peripheral portion of the main table, the detector being mountedupon the inner end of said base, the detector comprising a limit switchlocated in said electric circuit, a springbiased cam lever having oneend normallyholding the switch in closed position, the other end of thecam lever being located in the path of the can ends and adapted to beraised by a double end passing there under to open said switch.

2. In a combination as defined in claim 1, the limit switch beingvertically adjustably mounted upon a vertical mounting plate connectedto the inner end portion of the base.

3. In a combination as defined in claim 2, the limit switch beingconnected to the vertical mounting plate by screws located throughapertures in the mounting plate, said apertures being of larger diameterthan said screws. and an adjusting screw threaded into the upper edgeportion of the mounting plate, a portion of the head of said adjustingscrew being received in a notch in the limit switch housing.

4. In combination with a press for forming flanged can ends, a curlerfor curling the flanges of the can ends, said curler including a maintable, a stationary curling ring fixed upon said table and a rotatablecurling ring, motor means for operating the press and the rotatablecurling ring, an electrical circuit in which the motor means is located,a double end detector comprising a limit switch located in saidelectrical circuit, a springbiased cam lever having one end normallyholding the switch in closed position and the other end located in thepath of the can ends and adapted to be raised by a double end passingthereunder to open said switch, and means supporting the double-enddetector, said means comprising an elongated base connected at its outerend to a mounting block fixed upon the peripheral portion of the maintable, the detector being mounted upon the inner end of said base.

5. In a combination as defined in claim 4, the limit switch beingvertically adjustably mounted upon a vertical mounting plate connectedto the inner end portion of the base.

6. In a combination as defined in claim 5, the limit switch beingconnected to the vertical mounting plate by screws located throughapertures in the mounting plate, said apertures being of larger diameterthan said screws and an adjusting screw threaded into the upper edgeportion oi the mailming plate, a portion of the head of said adjustingscrew being received in a notch in the limit switch housing.

1. In combination with a curler for curling the flanges of peripherallyflanged can ends, said curler including a main table, an outerstationary curling ring fixed upon said main table, an outer stationarycurling ring fixed upon said main table, an inner rotatable curling ringconcentric with the outer curling ring, a support ring concentric withand located between the inner and outer curling rings for supporting canends as they are carried around the curler between said curling rings,an electric motor for rotating said inner curling ring and an electriccircuit in which said motor is located, a double-end detector, meanssupporting the detector above the support ring, said means comprising anelongated base connected at its outer end to a mounting block fixed uponthe peripheral portion of the main table, the detector being mountedupon the inner end of said base, the detector comprising a limit switchlocated in said electric circuit, a spring-biased cam lever having oneend normally holding the switch in closed position, the other end of thecam lever being located in the path of the can ends and adapted to beraised by a double end passing there under to open said switch.
 2. In acombination as defined in claim 1, the limit switch being verticallyadjustably mounted upon a vertical mounting plate connected to the innerend portion of the base.
 3. In a combination as defined in claim 2, thelimit switch being connected to the vertical mounting plate by screwslocated through apertures in the mounting plate, said apertures being oflarger diameter than said screws, and an adjusting screw threaded intothe upper edge portion of the mounting plate, a portion of the head ofsaid adjusting screw being received in a notch in the limit switchhousing.
 4. In combination with a press for forming flanged can ends, acurler for curling the flanges of the can ends, said curler including amain table, a stationary curling ring fixed upon said table and arotatable curling ring, motor means for operating the press and therotatable curling ring, an electrical circuit in which the motor meansis located, a double end detector comprising a limit switch located insaid electrical circuit, a spring-biased cam lever having one endnormally holding the switch in closed position and the other end locatedin the paTh of the can ends and adapted to be raised by a double endpassing thereunder to open said switch, and means supporting thedouble-end detector, said means comprising an elongated base connectedat its outer end to a mounting block fixed upon the peripheral portionof the main table, the detector being mounted upon the inner end of saidbase.
 5. In a combination as defined in claim 4, the limit switch beingvertically adjustably mounted upon a vertical mounting plate connectedto the inner end portion of the base.
 6. In a combination as defined inclaim 5, the limit switch being connected to the vertical mounting plateby screws located through apertures in the mounting plate, saidapertures being of larger diameter than said screws and an adjustingscrew threaded into the upper edge portion of the mounting plate, aportion of the head of said adjusting screw being received in a notch inthe limit switch housing.